Founded in 1909 by the Cambridge Rowing Association, the Cambridge Regatta was almost as big as Henley in its heyday, and was re-instated by Cantabs in a reduced format in 2015. This year saw an increase in the number of entries of eights, quads and fours, with the addition of some invitational events. H.C. Moss, the builders of Reflections, Cambridge, recognised the growing importance of the event and sponsored the regatta, putting on viewings of the show house on the former site of the Pike and Eel pub which overlooks the river. Cambridge TV were there to cover the event, and their report can still be watched on their website.
For 2016, Cantabs put on another dominant display at the regatta, with crews from all of the club’s many squads entering, from juniors right up to masters.
The Senior Women’s Squad were victorious in a 4x, 4+ and 8+.
The W4x of Eve Beere, Harriet Cross, Sue Hakenbeck and May Perrin were victorious in their final against a Women’s Intermediate Squad crew who have only recently taken up sculling, showing promise for the future. The WM4+ of Gill Cooper, Hana Lango Allen, Judith Weik, Sue Waterhouse and cox Lilith Scott faced off against a non-masters crew from Hughes Hall in their final, winning by 1-1/2 lengths. The W8+ time trial saw Millie Perrin, Georgie Plunkett, Merodie Rose, Ellie Darlington, Jordan Bruce, Myriam Goudet, Alex Courage, Bailee Stratton and cox Robert Nimmo finish as the fastest women’s crew. However, the margins meant that one of their opposition chickened out and scratched before the side-by-side racing! This meant that the crew raced a mixed masters crew from Cantabs instead, producing some exciting racing after the mixed crew were given a head start handicap based on time trial results.
W8+ racing the mixed masters 8+ in the final
The Senior Men’s Squad 8+ of Ben Whitelaw, James King, Guy Fiddian, Finn Grimwood, Hannes Dinse, Damien Chamley, Hadi Boukhatmi, Andrew Foster and Petr Arnold were also the fastest crew in their event in the time trial, some 20 seconds ahead of Hills Road ‘returners’. However, in the side-by-side racing, the senior crew were unable to overcome the 20 second head start given to their opponents!
CULRC also used the event to run some 1x racing as their season began, training for the lightweight men’s boat race against Oxford. A number of scullers from town clubs also took part, including Cantabs’ Callan Swanson, Matt Crowe and Hadi Boukhatmi. After coming 2nd in the time trial, Hadi went on to win his side-by-side final against a CULRC oarsman.
Callan’s father, Gavin, raced in a masters men’s 4+ event along with Clive Keeler, Tim Walker, Levente Kantor and cox Katrina Purser. As with the women’s masters crew, they faced a non-masters Hughes Hall crew in their final. The Cantabs crew made a strong start and led all the way, before being beaten by a bow ball on the line.
A ‘workplace challenge’ division took place at the end of the regatta for new rowers who joined only 6 weeks ago. Staff from John Lewis and Waitrose went through an accelerated learn to row course at Cantabs, having become involved with the club after support from John Lewis (in conjunction with Living Sport) towards making the boat house accessible to people with disabilities.
John Lewis staff getting lined up to race
After the medal presentations, there was an official boat naming ceremony of a number of new boats which have recently been added to the Cantabs fleet. A lightweight Filippi 2x/- which was raced in by Ellie Darlington and Myriam Goudet when they represented England at the Home International Regatta last summer was named ‘Sarah’ after the club’s highly-valued equiopment officer Petr Arnold’s wife.
Petr Arnold naming ‘Sarah’
A heavyweight Filippi 2x/- was named ‘Joe Baddeley’ in recognition of the club’s former captain who has since moved to Oxford.
Joe Baddeley
A lightweight Wintech 2x was named ‘Gunning for Glory’ in tribute to Phil Gunning’s tireless efforts as junior development officer, ahead of him moving to Nottingham in the autumn for work.
Phil naming ‘Gunning for Glory’
A Filippi 4x/- was named ‘Isabella and Susanna’ after the daughters of the club’s Senior Women’s Squad head coach and former club captain Tom Copeland.
Isabella and Susanna Copeland helping dad Tom name a boat after them
Melanie Hallam was also present to name a Wintech 4x in memory of her husband, Ed Hallam, a well-known strength and conditioning coach and supporter of the club who sadly passed away in June.
Special thanks to Ro Thompson for her hard work organising the regatta, H.C. Moss for sponsorship, and John Lewis for their support.
A write-up of the event can also be found on the Cambridge News website.
